Lancashire elderly victims lose £23,500 in telephone scams

Elderly people in Lancashire have been targeted by people posing as police officers

Elderly Lancashire residents have been warned to be vigilant after £23,500 was stolen in three telephone scams.

People said the victims received instructions to withdraw money from their bank and leave it outside their home to be picked up by a courier.

Det Insp Mark Riley said he was "concerned about elderly, vulnerable victims being targeted".

One victim, from Blackburn, lost £13,000 to the scam.

"It is important that friends and relatives see this and can reassure their parents to put the phone down if they get any calls like this," Det Insp Riley said.

The first incident happened in Hyndburn on Monday when the victim received a phone call from a man claiming to be a Lancashire Police officer named 'DC 4144 Alex Hunter' who was investigating a bank giving out fake notes to elderly customers.

The victim was asked to go to the bank, withdraw £4,000 in cash and pass on the serial numbers of the notes to check if they were fake before a courier later arrived at their house to collect the money.

'Devastating scam'

A woman in her 60s from Lancaster also lost £6,500 after receiving a phone call from a man purporting to be 'Insp Paul Stewart' investigating a similar fraud.

She was told to leave the money outside her front door under a plant pot, where it was later picked up by a courier.

The third victim, a woman in her 80s from Blackburn, lost £13,000 in similar circumstances.

Police said they believed the scammers were operating out of London, but could not rule out local connections.

Det Insp Riley said: "I would ask people to be extra vigilant at this time. If you get a phone call from someone saying they are from the police or the bank do not provide your account details or hand over any cash.

"These are unscrupulous offenders with no morals and they are only interested in bringing misery to their victims. Please be aware of this highly sophisticated and devastating scam."